My recipe for Tex-mex Chili.

A classic.

Hey cutie. :-)

Last Thursday, I had an hour to make a fiber + protein-dense dinner and pulled off a really good chili by taste. Lucky for you, I measured all that I tasted. Here’s the recipe.

Tex-Mex Chili

Stuff you need: large pot or Dutch oven with a lid. Large mesh strainer.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion

• 1 head of garlic, grated OR 2 tablespoons of garlic paste

• 1 lb ground beef, chicken, or turkey

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce + 1 tablespoon of sauce from the can

• 1½ tablespoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 (28 oz) can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes

• 4 cups chicken stock or 1 chicken bouillon cube

• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans

• 1 (15 oz) can white beans

Instructions

1. Set your large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pot and roughly dice the onion while the oil heats up. Add the diced onion to the pot and stir with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and stir again for another 3 minutes.

2. Add the ground meat of your choice, the tomato paste, and the adobo pepper + sauce to the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir everything together for 5 minutes to brown the meat evenly.

3. Press the meat into the base of the pan and let it brown even more while you measure your seasonings. Measure the salt, sugar, cumin, oregano, coriander, and paprika into a small bowl. Stir the meat again and add the measured seasonings. If the meat is dry and/or burning, add a splash of water to the pot.

4. Stir everything together. Add the full can of crushed tomatoes, but make sure to save the can. Use the spatula to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. If using chicken stock, measure it by pouring it into the empty tomato can and then add it to the pot. If using water, measure it with the empty tomato can, but, also add one bouillon cube to the pot right after.

5. Empty and strain the canned beans into a mesh strainer and rinse under running water. Add the rinsed beans to the pot, stir the chili, and cover with the lid, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Simmer the chili for an hour, making sure to stir it every 20 minutes. Taste for salt and spice after one hour. Add more salt, sugar, or extra chili flakes, if you like.

6. Ladle into bowls and serve with sour cream, cheese, and Fritos.